Hi Shehaqua Spring Gathering Leadership Team!! This blog is part of a 40 day condition to connect with the theme of the spring gathering, Beyond Boundaries, both spiritually and experientially. The condition is beginning April 9th and ending May 18th. Everyday we will be doing a short reflection (at least one paragraph) on this blog about how we went beyond our personal boundaries to be internally and externally excellent in our daily lives. The hope for this blog is that we can really connect with and experience the theme so that we may be able to inspire others to go beyond their personal boundaries as well as create a spirit at the workshop that is really united with the theme. I look forward to reading your reflections, as well as sharing my daily thoughts on this awesome theme!
~~Ariella <3
Hey all,
ReplyDeleteI would like to post the goals, and in many ways the essence of our Pennsylvania Family Camp at Shehaqua mentioned by Uncle Gregg at our planning meeting in NY:
- Comfort the Heart of God
- To create an environment where God’s voice can be heard and heart can be experienced
- Support the MESSIAH at this time in history!
- Support True Family / LLM
Be a witness
Create leaders for the movement
- Help families come together centered on Principle
- Bonds of healthy friendships
- To give hope and vision in a troubled world
Over the next few weeks, you are welcome to reflect and share about your experience with on one of these goals or our theme living/going beyond boundaries in your daily life.
- Laura
Posting right here is a great place to start as I begin my quest to discover the significance of going 'beyond boundaries' in my own life... for a few reasons:
ReplyDelete1. Getting online and reflecting each day is certainly out of my normal routine.
2. Today was the first day I stopped and asked myself... Have I done something to get outside of myself today? Is there any part of my day that I thought of going beyond boundaries?
I am definitely ready to shake up my normal routine a little bit each day... Open my eyes a little wider... listen a little longer... and open my heart a little more.
I have already taped up a sign in my room: Beyond Boundaries. Tomorrow morning I won't be able to miss it, or let any opportunity slip by me in connecting to heavenly father and loving the people around me.
Have a blessed evening!
-Laura
Today I did something confrontational, which is not something I normally do, because I don't like to be confrontational. Today I wrote a response to an article that negatively portrayed our movement. The response was included in an article in our church news. Here's the link if you would like to read it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.familyfed.org/members/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3555:llm-philadelphia&catid=99:national&Itemid=376.
It felt good to take a risk and stand up for something I believe in!
Wishing you all the best,
~Crescentia
I'm working with the BFA to create a memorial book, kind of like a year book for the 30th anniversary of the 2,075 couple blessing at MSG. Lots of boundaries to go over to do this. Hoping it will turn out well.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great time coming up at Shehaqua.
Today I made a call to the professor who was quoted in the article that negatively portrayed our movement, challenging him to clarify his purpose in contributing to the article and requesting a meeting with him. I was extremely nervous before making the call and desperately wished someone else could make it, but I knew it had to be me in order to be effective. Normally I would not make a call like this where I am essentially pointing out to someone what they've done wrong and need to make amends for, but I felt compelled to make it on behalf of all our members and supporters who have been discriminated against in this instance and others and on behalf of countless others who have experienced prejudice for practicing their religion. Also, the goal to go Beyond Boundaries gave me even more encouragement and inspiration to make the call. Wonderfully, through the call I was able to learn that the professor was also upset with the article and the way he was portrayed and the way our movement was portrayed. I learned that he considers himself to be a "cult sympathizer" not an "anti-cultist" and considers all devout religious practitioners as being cult like not just new religious movements such as ours, because of how secularized our society has become. I was able to get him to agree to a meeting with me and some of our other members and allies this Friday and he may end up writing a letter of protest to the newspaper that printed the article. I am inspired and motivated by the results of what this experience of going beyond boundaries can do and hope it can be an inspiration to you as well!
ReplyDeleteCrescentia, Thank you for your courage! An inspiration to all of us to go beyond our limits and comfront zones. Its easy to think that someone else can take care of that or I'm too busy or I'm not that type of person...etc... but it takes internal strength to take action.
DeleteU.Gregg
Wow! That's great to hear Crescentia! I'm impressed by your courage, I know that confrontation can sometimes be very scary and you have to overcome many personal barriers to do so. However I'm amazed that the situation seems to be turning out so well. Through bad publicity you're making a contact with a professor at a prestigious university and getting Lovin Life Ministries more public and known within the U-Penn community. God works in amazing ways. Thanks for being an amazing daughter of God and letting him work through you!!
ReplyDeleteWow that is awesome Centia!! We have your back 110 percent!
ReplyDeleteAnd good luck with the memorial book Uncle Rob!! Sounds like a very involved, but exciting project.
This whole getting out of routine thing is something I really have to work on. In Senegal it was so easy. Everyday was an adventure.. everyday I had AMPLE time to take a walk, cook with family, sit down for hours at a boutique and talk to people about life and God and Islam.. There werent very many distractions and time was almost nonexistent. But here time is everything. It's strange to find it difficult to find time to sleep or eat or even breathe sometimes. I miss the beauty in the simplicity and the power of living in the moment.
I guess I am searching on how to go beyond boundaries and feel spiritually connected and charged despite (or perhaps because of?) a insanely busy life and in a culture where time is so highly valued.
Can I pose the question.. how do YOU it?
How do YOU get spiritually charged in a jam-packed day?
Thanks Laura! I feel the love. To answer your question, I recommend making a deliberate plan to do something out of your norm, you don't have to know what it's going to be or when it's going to take place, you just need to know that it IS going to happen and that you ARE going to do something and that the time to do it will make itself available. I encourage you to make a goal in the beginning of the day or even the day before to look for an opportunity to go beyond boundaries and than when the opportunity presents itself, jump on it, no matter how small or big it may seem or how little time you have! In my experience those "go beyond boundaries" moments can power you through a whole day and make the time you spend doing everything else in your day much more meaningful and enjoyable. As you know, there is a lot of power in intention. God will act on that intention!
DeleteLots of love,
~Crescentia
Thank you uncle Greg & Ariella. I feel the love! Just to give a little follow-up report... Wednesday I got an email from the professor containing a copy of the letter he wrote to the newspaper that printed the negative article expressing his disappointment with how poorly his views were represented and the overall poor quality of the article. Tomorrow I will be meeting with him along with some other 2nd gen in Philly and am looking forward to a great meeting.
ReplyDeleteToday's victory in going boundaries was handing out True Father's Autobiography to six different people around the UPenn campus. For a long time now I have been hesitant to go on to the campus and hand out autobiographies, fearing what reactions I might get and unsure how to go about it. Fortunately, God presented me with an opportunity to get beyond this hesitation. Yesterday Pastor Shota told me that he and his wife were planning to go to the campus today and hand out autobiographies and I knew this was my chance to push past my road block with handing out autobiographies on the campus, so I volunteered to go with them. Today, taking the bus and then walking up to the designated spot, I was so nervous and anxious. All I could do was pray. As soon as I approached the first person I felt so much positive energy and I knew that God was with me and working. I wound up meeting some clearly prepared people...a lady who has been looking for a church for her and her daughter to attend, an older Catholic woman who Leighton and I helped carry groceries for a few weeks back who was so happy to see me again and happy to receive the book and learn more about our ministry and a young man, who turned out to be a senior at Penn involved in the Catholic group on campus who asked a lot of great questions about Rev. Moon and our movement and was really intrigued by what I shared with him and interested to learn more. It was amazing! On the way home it dawned on me that anytime I feel nervous or anxious about doing something out of my norm, that's usually a good sign that what I'm about to do is important and worth doing. I am determined to remember this as I continue challenging myself to go beyond boundaries in the weeks to come.
~Crescentia
Hey Laura,
ReplyDeleteThose are good questions and I can definitely connect. I also am struggling with going out of my routine and busy schedule to go beyond my boundaries. Crescentia you are truly an inspiration! I love the conclusion of your last entry. It makes so much sense, yet it is still very hard to carry out most of the time. I guess going beyond your boundaries in not supposed to be easy, otherwise that wouldnt really be going beyond your boundaries..lol. I was listening to Jaga's sermon from a couple weeks ago, today. He made an amazing point at the end that really spoke to me. In his dream he asked TF what he needed him to do and TF replied that we already know what we need to do. God instilled in our hearts what we need to do (through our passions/calling). I reflected and prayed about what God has instilled in my heart and came to the conclusion that dance has been an ongoing calling for me since I was 14. It is also the scariest thing for me to pursue seriously, because of my fear of financial security and personal doubts. I also have a physical boundary, as well, with a past injury incurred while I was doing ballet. I've been using my past injury as an excuse for not pursuing what I have loved so much, and sometimes I wish God never gave me such a penchant for dance.
However I know my passion and love for dance is a gift from God and what I do with it is the 5% responsibility God gave to me. In the past when I've danced I felt so close to God, I felt sooo happy. Since I havent been doing it for a while, I feel there is a lot of personal barriers I need to get past, however I like what you shared Centia. Once you went past your initial fear you felt God with you. I think I just need to kick myself in the butt and do something about it..Exactly what? I am not sure, but anything is better than nothing.
~Ariella
Thanks for this Ariella!
ReplyDeleteThis has really given me such a precious opportunity to reflect on my life and goals, and daily actions. This semester has been driven by work and school, and calculating each minute of my day to make both fit. But I am so inspired by reading these posts and searching deeper within myself in reflection. This in of itself, shakes up my day, everyday =)
These next few weeks are only going to get more challenging, but I know through connecting to Gods heart I can stay positive and tap into the abundance of the universe.
Happy Sunday!
<3 Laura
Study, study, study! Work, study, study! Lol, I totally understand Laura:) It's been hard to make time for anything else but school and work. The other night I was talking to Jonathan and he's been struggling with something similar to me. Currently, he is the volunteer coordinator for NJ LLM,as well as his regular job as a civil engineer for Michael Baker corp. However, he's been struggling the past year, because he is not satisfied with what he is doing with his full time job. He feels God calling him to invest in something more meaningful.. like our church. Dr. Ann and her husband have been talking to him a lot about becoming the pastor for NJ, but I think it is hard for him to confront (for me too!) because it is so out of the norm of what we are doing now. We're comfortable with the life we're living and it's hard to change, even when God is calling us. To quote Centia, which inspired me so much...
ReplyDelete"On the way home it dawned on me that anytime I feel nervous or anxious about doing something out of my norm, that's usually a good sign that what I'm about to do is important and worth doing."
Anyway, I am going to start a prayer condition for the strength to follow the path God has set out for Jonathan and I...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAriella, thank you for sharing about the challenging decision you and Jon are facing about what direction you want to take your life in next. I am inspired by your willingness to seriously consider God's call to pursue something outside of the life that you are comfortable with now and take on a life pretty much guaranteed to be more challenging and uncomfortable in many ways. Making a decision to become a pastor, or pursue a career in the performing arts over more financially and physically secure careers is not an easy one. Leighton and I prayed extensively and had many conversations with close friends and relatives before we made the decision to become pastors, and even after taking up the role of pastors, we have had many moments which challenged our resolve. I can honestly say though, that it has been one of the best decisions we've made. Although we have faced many challenges since coming into this role, we have also had numerous joyful, energizing and rewarding experiences. In fact some of the most challenging experiences have also been some of the most rewarding, as I think is often the case in life in general. I am really grateful for the fact that being in the role of pastors has given us an incredible platform for going beyond boundaries, as it has given us so many opportunities to go beyond our comfort zones, concepts and routines and each time we've gone beyond something, allowed us to more deeply and widely share the love and blessing we've received throughout our lives and make a positive impact on many people's lives.
ReplyDeleteI wish you and Jon all the best as you go through this decision making process. Leighton and I have your backs no matter what!
You guys are awesome! Ariella, thank you for sharing that. I am really inspired to to here about your path to find your calling. And it's great that you and John can really be so united and supportive going forward together.
ReplyDeleteI am in the mists of planning a charity climb of mount Kilimanjaro this summer. The task is daunting, and every day I can't tell if I'm more nervous or more excited. Definitely more excited at this point. The fundraising is overwhelming especially so much in so little time... and not being able to focus my energy on it (at least until schools out). The responsibilities keep piling up. But despite all that I feel inspired, and ready to do what it takes to make this happen. Each day something exciting and new is developing.. a website, interested climbers, and sponsors...
It' a reminder, that I'm never alone for anything I do.. whether it school, planning the spring gathering, or leading a group to climb Kili... There are incredibly supportive people around me always, and God has my back too. And I can try to take control and work as hard as I can.. but it comes down to really dedicating my heart to giving 100% for my 5% responsibility, and humbling myself & trusting God to guide the rest.
thanks you all for being such supportive, inspiring, and talented images of God <3
Hello All!
ReplyDeleteIt has been a l little too long since writing, so I want to make sure I stay with it.
The other day, it was absolutely beautiful outside. Despite the craziness (with finals on the way), I went on a run outside, which I havent done since last year!! And it was amazing. It was just the switch up in my day that I needed. Thinking, running, breathing in the air, actually being able to stop everything else and connect to heavenly father.
I'm looking forward to more experiences like this. The hardest thing was..is getting out the door, but its blue skies after that.
<3 Laura
Gregg here: Yesterday Elke and I had an intense emotional moment discussing finances (what a surprise!)anyway, we both recognized that we were "out of alignment" with our greater goal of love and harmony as a blessed central couple! So Elke said "let's pray" and immediately after the prayer the entire energy was cleared and we felt connected again. This vertical alignment goes beyond traditional boundaries in the fallen world and goes into new heavenly territory. I realized the importance of daily prayer and HDK to "seek alignment first and then take action" motto. And when ever i"m feeling disconnected to STOP and realign with prayer or a walk in the woods or whatever to get back with God.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your reflections! I am currently in the midst of preparing for finals and finishing up papers. It is super-condensed focus time. Anyway, wow, to make time for other things in life is quite challenging while in school. It definitely takes a mental and spiritual effort to add spiritual direction in my daily activities. Anyway, sadly I haven't been too focused spiritually, mostly academically focused. However, with the beautiful spring weather we've had I really do feel God when I step outside and walk to my car or around campus. Also, to continue from my previous reflection, I have been communicating to God more about dance, usually when I'm walking or in the bathroom. I feel like spring time has brought a more subtle reflective ambiance/attitude to my life, because of the beauty that surrounds me daily. Today I gave God my sincere wish-list, which was I really want to do dance with my life! How do I do that? Which made me think about discipline and being consistent. Pursuing your dream may seem glamorous at first (at least for me it was), but when you hit the daily grind many times you have to persevere through mental,physical,emotional challenges. For me my challenge right now is finding time and feeling like investing the little time that I do have is making a difference in my skill level...I like to pursue my goals wholly and fully and immerse myself in it, so when I can only invest time here and there it's hard to find the motivation/inspiration to do it. Anyway, it's really nice to read everyone's reflections, thanks again for sharing!
ReplyDelete~Ariella
Hey everyone, it's been a while. School has been pretty intense this past week. I just wanted to share my experience yesterday. I found this website called danceplug.com, which has tons of different types of instructional dance videos. I was so psyched when I found this site. I went to my college's gym and used their dance room to practice a lyrical dance combination to "Halo" by Beyonce. I havent danced in a while, so this was a nice start to what I am planning to make a more regular practice this summer. I realized for me it's important to invest in what you love, because God instilled your passions in you for a reason. Even though I wish I could invest all my time into dance, the time that I do invest is so precious and meaningful to God(even if its short).
ReplyDelete~Ariella
Happy Mother's Day!!! I just came back from an awesome sunday sermon by In Jin Nim. I just wanted to jot down a couple points that really moved me and made me think during the sermon. First of all, the dancing was amazing, I cant believe how good our fellow brothers and sisters have become in the span of a couple years of ballroom dance ministry. In In Jin Nim's sermon her points at the end were really powerful- that "you can accomplish anything, because you are a divine child of God...It doesnt matter what you've done in the past but what you are capable of doing and are doing and going to do in the future...The only thing holding us back is fear itself." (paraphrase).
ReplyDeleteHer message reminded me that my passion is worth investing in and pursuing and it doesnt matter that I havent invested into it the past couple years, but that I have a passion, a talent, and that I'm going to do something about it now! Seeing the dancers on stage today, made me want to be there on stage doing the same thing. I also see that what's been holding me back from dance is my fears and insecurities and excuses that I've made to justify not doing dance. In order to excel in what I love i need to go BEYOND MY BOUNDARIES and invest my heart and soul into it.
Another point that really made me think was when In Jin Nim was talking about the LLM GPA Choir that competed. She said that "When it comes to the arts, technique is the bare minimum. It's really about channeling the divine, God's spirit" (paraphrase). I really feel that that's what dance is for me and my fear that I have not had that much training, that I am not that technically advanced does not mean I cant dance or that I'm not good. Art is all about communication, and dance is a physical communication of God's spirit. It does not mean that it justifies not improving my technical skill, but that the whole essence of art is communicating God's spirit.
Anyway, those are some of my thought on the sermon today. Hope you all have a wonderful Mother's Day!!!
~Ariella
The dancers and In Jin Nim inspired and empowered me to go for what I love and enjoy doing. Thank you In Jin Nim!
~Ariella